Adult Palliative Care
We are committed to serving those affected by serious illness through exceptional care and love.
Palliative Care
Overview
Palliative care is a great option for patients experiencing the effects of a serious illness. Palliative care can provide physical, emotional and spiritual support for patients and their families as they move through the journey of their illness.
Your Care Team
Physician
Physician
A doctor specializing in palliative medicine provides care and support as you and your loved ones face the many challenges of living with a serious illness.
Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Practitioner
Palliative nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses who treat your symptoms from a serious, complex, chronic or life-threatening illness. Palliative care nurse practitioners are skilled clinicians ready to treat a wide range of symptoms.
Medical Social Worker
Medical Social Worker
Palliative care medical social workers address a client’s physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being in all disease stages and may act as an advocate with medical providers.
FAQ
Palliative care is an extra layer of support for people living with serious illness and for their families. Palliative care focuses on providing symptom management and education as well as assisting in aligning the patient’s goals with their care plan, improving their quality of life and ensuring the best care possible.
This care can be provided at any stage in a patient’s illness and does not change their current care plan or replace their current care providers.
The biggest difference between palliative care and hospice care is that palliative care can be provided at any stage in an illness alongside curative care and/ or other treatments. Hospice care is more robust support that is reserved for patients when their care goals shift away from curative care and focus solely on comfort.
Hospice care is a benefit of Medicare and most insurance plans, and can provide physician, nurse practitioner, skilled nursing and chaplaincy in a patient’s home setting or wherever care is most appropriate.
Palliative care is a great option for patients experiencing the effects of a serious illness. Palliative care can provide physical, emotional and spiritual support for patients and their families as they move through the journey of their illness.
You may be a good candidate for palliative care if you are experiencing any of the following:
- Serious illness
- Chronic illness
- Unmanaged symptoms as a result of serious illness
- Frequent hospitalizations or emergency room visits
- Increasing difficulty visiting your physicians because of the burden of your illness
Palliative care is provided by a medical team made up of a physician, a nurse practitioner and a medical social worker. This team works with a patient’s current care team to provide relief of symptoms, education and to determine a patient’s goals and values that will shape the care that they get. The palliative care team helps navigate the health care system and communicates with a patient’s care team to help put the complicated pieces together for patients and their families.
Palliative care provider visits and medications can be partially or fully covered by Medicare and Medicaid and many private insurance plans. If you or a family member are considering palliative care, please contact your insurance providers to learn more about their policies and coverage.
Still wondering
Is Palliative Care the Answer?
Our palliative care providers are available to make assessments in doctors’ offices, hospitals, skilled nursing homes, and patients’ private homes. As a preliminary step to help you determine if palliative care is right for you or a loved one, we have developed this brief assessment. You should also consult the patient’s physician to discuss the best options.
Take the quiz
Resources
Do you still have questions?
We are here to help.
Following the diagnosis of a life-limiting illness, you’ll likely have questions, especially as your needs change. If you or a loved one has recently encountered a health change like this, it can be a good idea to consider in-home care for extra guidance and assistance along the way. If you are seeking curative treatments for your illness, palliative care is worth considering.